​Relocating Changed My Life​

​Relocating changed my life:

​I would have never been able to stay clean while living in Lawtown, Lawrence Massachusetts. A heroin addiction and a life of lying, cheating and stealing cars would have led me to prison, the hospital or the cemetery.

​Although I hated to leave and be away from family and friends, relocation was necessary for me if I ever wanted to have a better life, for my girl, myself and for my first born son, who was my main reason and motivation for getting clean and turning my life around. It wasn't easy, and it took a few tries at first, but eventually I was able to get it together and get to where I needed to be.​

First attempt to relocate:

​First time, I made it to Orlando in a rental car, got clean and stayed clean and lasted for a few weeks. But I convinced myself that I needed a vehicle and I had to go back to Mass to get it, (an excuse). So I took a plane back to Mass and went back to using heroin right away. I was able to get the car, a blue Mustang 5.0, my favorite, but my heroin addiction became worse than ever before. And as a result I ended up staying in Mass for a while. Until of course, my girl gave me an ultimatum – come back to Orlando or she's going back to Mass. So of course I couldn't have that, otherwise nothing would change. ​

​Second attempt to relocate:

​So I got myself together once again, bought a paquete of heroin (50 bags of heroin), and took off back to Orlando with my cousin, my brother Erito (Hery Irizarry). And I don't know how we did it, but somehow we managed to finish all those bags of dope halfway down the trip to Florida. Then the race was on. Had to make it there before we got sick. Passed a state trooper on the way but he was never able to catch up to us. We made it there in record breaking time, even after passing the Orlando exit and almost made it to Miami. But finally made it to Orlando and withdrawals began to kick in.

​The plan was for both of us to quit, but that didn't work out so well. So after 24 hours of being sick we raced to the airport, burning rubber and crossing every red light at every intersection and made it to the airport within minutes. Even left my car there as well. We didn't care. We just had to make it back to Mass alive to get high. Ran through the airport. Barely made the flight. But made it back to Mass and got high and fixed within 30 minutes of being back home. The things we did just to get high, in order to feel normal. That's how horrible this drug heroin is. Ended up staying in Lawrence Massachusetts for a while, again. Got tired of it all, again. Time to try again. ​

Third attempt to relocate:

​Bought a couple of bundles of dope and went back to Orlando again.Got clean and stayed clean again. And even decided to go to church. But after coming home from the first night of church I decided I couldn't do this and never made it through the door. Instead I took off to buy some weed but found myself with 2 strangers and bought crack instead. After a short binge, and seconds away from getting robbed and possibly car jacked from the passenger in my car, a cop pulled up behind me and hit the blue lights. Searched us, searched the car, and found a tiny piece of crack in the car. Arrested me, and impounded and confiscated my car. Spent the next day in jail, but was very grateful as well. If it wasn't for that cop pulling up on us I would have been badly hurt. I definitely believe that was Divine intervention. And after that, that was it for me. Got myself a job, stayed close to home, family, and stayed out of trouble for a while.

​It took me 6 months to feel my normal body once again, and that was after coming off of heroin, morphine, methadone and valiums. But man what a feeling that was, to feel normal once again. I’ll never forget it. It was so nice to feel this way, to feel normal that I had to share it with my best friend Casper Gomez from Lawrence who was like a brother to me. I called him and asked him if he wanted to quit dope and he immediately said yes and came down to Florida to get clean. He managed to get clean and stay clean from heroin but we both continued to smoke weed and other drugs as well, (coke, crack). It didn’t take too long to go back down hill and before you know it I was back in jail for a couple of weeks, and we got separated after that. Lost the condo, and had nowhere to live. But an old friend from the family invited us to DeLand, Florida to stay with her until I could get back on my feet. Divine intervention, again.

Got a temp job, my own apartment and got it together. Went back to Mass one more time for court. Case dismissed. But slipped up and did a bag, and vomited shortly after. My body couldn't take it. Got back on a plane and went back to Orlando right away. And finally finally finally got my act together.​

Finally got it right:

I​ quit all drugs, finally, even cigs, and found a good permanent job in Altamonte Springs, Florida. So I relocated once again to be close to work. A very nice area. Very nice apartment. And finally was able to live the family life. Wake up, hit the gym, go to work, come home to a nice, warm, home cooked meal and take my son out for a bike ride almost every day. Man, those were the days, and some of the best days of my life. Will never forget those days. Relocating from Lawrence Mass to Orlando Florida was the best decision I ever made. Relocating changed my life, and it can change your life as well.

What's my point? I said all that to say this: If at first you don't succeed then try try again. No matter how many times you fail you can always get back up and try again. Not everyone needs to relocate in order to stay clean. My cousin Hery Irizarry beat a 20 year habit and has been clean for over 3 years, lives in Lawrence and is doing great! My best friend Casper Gomez is doing great as well, working, living life and staying out of trouble. And a lot of you are able to stay clean right where you're at as well.

​You don't have to relocate just to stay clean. But if you can't stay clean where you're at and/or you simply want to start a new life somewhere new then you may want to consider moving to another city, or another state, or even another country. And if you're going to relocate, if you're going to move then you have to do so with the 100% thought, desire and intent to change, become a better person and live a better life. Leave all drugs behind. Start all over again. But regardless of where you're at, change yourself, and you'll change your life. Quit heroin, quit all drugs and turn your life around. Don't give up. Keep on trying. You can do it. Over 20 years clean from heroin. God bless.

​Call 1.888.471.3021 to speak with a treatment consultant for free. The staff at Aid in Recovery understands addiction and will help you find a detox center or a rehab center for yourself or a loved one. Aid in Recovery is a free 24/7 helpline so you can call them now. Get help now. Call 1.888.471.3021

​Call 1.888.471.3021 to speak with a treatment consultant for free. The staff at Aid in Recovery understands addiction and will help you find a detox center or a rehab center for yourself or a loved one. Aid in Recovery is a free 24/7 helpline so you can call them now. Get help now. Call 1.888.471.3021